After land bank for industries, Odisha govt now moots one for afforestation

After identifying eight locations across the state to create a 50,000 acre strong land bank for expeditious setting up of industrial projects in the state, the Odisha Government has now decided to identify an additional one lakh acres of land for undertaking compensatory afforestation.

The Revenue department has asked collectors of 21 districts to identify government and wasteland for creation of the proposed land bank of one lakh acres for afforestation purpose.

“It has been decided at government level for creation of a land bank of 50,000 acres for accommodating in-coming industrial projects and another bank of 1,00,000 acres for compensatory afforestation,” said a letter of Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) to the collectors.

The creation of land bank is as per the provisions laid down in Industrial Policy Resolution 2007.

Establishment of other social infrastructure like housing, educational institutions, healthcare and entertainment facilities in and around the industrial areas were highly necessary for sustainability of the industries, said the letter.

It is to be noted that the government has identified land in Dhamra region in Bhadrak and Balasore districts, Paradip region in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, Bhubaneswar region in Khurda and Nayagarh districts, Gopalpur region in Ganjam district, Sambalpur-Jharsuguda region, Sundargarh- Rourkela region, Dhenkanal-Angul region and Koraput-Rayagada-Kashipur region for creation of land bank.

Many projects, including Posco, are facing land hurdle following unavailability of undisputed land to set up their projects. The government hopes that creation of land bank would help the companies to set up their projects in the state without facing hassles in acquisition of land.